Plastics container

ABSTRACT

A blow moulded plastics container for storing liquid (e.g., milk) has a body with a central axis intended to be generally vertical during storage. A part line of the container bisects an integral handle on the body. The body defines a footprint having a width which is greater in a middle region than at either longitudinal end of the footprint. The body has opposing side surfaces extending in a direction at least generally aligned with the part line of the container and forming part of the footprint. In one embodiment, the footprint is longer than it is wide and is asymmetrical about a transverse axis extending in a direction perpendicular to said part line. This reduces thinning effects associated with blowing a parison in a mould cavity.

CROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a divisional of U.S. patent application Ser. No.13/634,744 filed Sep. 13, 2012, pending, which is the U.S. NationalPhase of PCT/GB2011/000516 filed Apr. 1, 2011, which claims priority ofGB 1006588.6 filed Apr. 20, 2010, GB 1006587.8 filed Apr. 20, 2010, andGB 1101615.1 filed Jan. 31, 2011, the entire contents of each of whichare hereby incorporated by reference in this application.

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

(NOT APPLICABLE)

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a plastics container, moreparticularly, but not exclusively, to a blow moulded plastics container,e.g. of the kind commonly used for transporting or storing milk.

It is known to package milk in lightweight blow moulded plasticscontainers for retail through supermarkets and the like. Typically, suchcontainers are of the kind having a body with a central axis intended tobe generally vertical during storage, a pouring aperture through whichthe container is filled and emptied of product, and an integral handlefor use when carrying the container or when pouring milk from thepouring aperture. The handle defines an aperture or ‘handle eye’ in thebody, having an aperture axis extending in a first direction through thebody. Said handle eye is usually taller than it is wide. Typically, suchcontainers have a part line extending in a direction perpendicular tosaid first direction. Moreover, the body typically has a footprint inplan view with a centre point through which said central axis extends.

There is a desire to make such containers as light as possible, whilstensuring that they remain fit for purpose in delivering the product in agood condition for consumers.

In an attempt to define “fit for purpose”, the UK packaging industryworks to an empirical 60N top load force test. If a lightweight plasticscontainer is able to withstand a 60N top load force applied at a rate of4 mm per second over a set distance, experience shows that it willsurvive the milk filling and distribution system and retail successfullyto the consumer.

At present, for each container of the regular capacity sizes of milkcontainer (e.g. 1 pint, 2 pint, 4 pint, 6 pint or 1 litre, 2 litre etc),there is a weight “ceiling” which means that it is difficult tomanufacture a lighter container that is still fit for purpose (e.g.suitable to pass the empirical 60N top load force test).

The present invention has been devised with a view to reducing theweight ceiling of standard capacity containers without compromisingstructural integrity i.e. the containers remain fit for purpose.

A known blow moulded plastics container for storing milk defines asubstantially rectangular footprint in plan view. An example is shown inFIG. 16. The footprint has a notional centreline 20, with two cornerregions of the footprint arranged on either side of said centre line 20.All four corner regions 12, 14, 16, 18 of the footprint are equidistantfrom a centre point 22 of the footprint.

The container is formed by blow moulding a parison 24 in a mould tool 26having parts that come together to define a generally rectangular mouldcavity 28. The tool parts separate along the centre line 22 whenejecting the container 10 from the mould tool. Hence, the centre line 22in FIG. 16 corresponds to the part line' of the container which isformed as part of the moulding process.

It will be understood that the split line of the mould tool (and hencethe part line of the container) bisects opposing parallel faces of thecontainer. It has been found that the act of blowing a parison in amould tool configured to form such a container may often lead toaggressive stretching or thinning of the parison wall thickness,particularly in the corner regions where the radial extent of thefootprint (relative to the centre point of the footprint) is at itsgreatest.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The invention provides a container with a footprint that overcomes ormitigates this problem.

According to a first aspect of the invention, there is provided a blowmoulded plastics container for storing liquid (e.g. milk) of the kindcomprising a body intended to be generally vertical during storage, apouring aperture through which the container is filled and emptied ofliquid, an integral handle, and a part line bisecting the body and theintegral handle, wherein the body defines a footprint having a widthwhich is greater in a middle region of the footprint than at eitherlongitudinal end thereof, further wherein the body has opposing sidesurfaces extending in a direction at least generally aligned with thepart line of the container and forming part of the footprint, whereinsaid footprint is longer than it is wide, and is asymmetrical about atransverse axis extending in a direction perpendicular to said partline.

In effect, the maximum radial extent of the footprint from its centrepoint is greatest at a point of intersection of the part line, ratherthan away from the part line (as would be the case for conventionalrectangular or square containers). This reduces the tendency forlocalised thinning of the wall thickness in critical areas during theblow moulding process.

In particular, the stretching or thinning effect on a parison blown in amould configured to produce a milk container having a footprint inaccordance with this aspect of the invention is likely to be lessextreme than with conventional containers of the kind referred to above,resulting in more even distribution of plastic within the wallthickness. Moreover, the overall weight of a plastics container may bereduced by adopting this footprint, whilst maintaining storage capacityand the structural integrity necessary to meet the 60N top load forcetest requirement.

In exemplary embodiments, the footprint includes opposing longitudinalends arranged along the part line of the container, one of said endsdefining divergent portions which extend in a direction at an acuteangle to the part line of the container.

In exemplary embodiments, the point of intersection between eachdivergent portion and a respective side of the footprint is in line withor at least generally aligned with the position of the handle eye.

In exemplary embodiments, the footprint includes opposing longitudinalends arranged along the part line of the container, one of said endsbeing generally curved between the opposing sides of the footprint. Saidcurved end may consist of two curved or radius sections separated by astraight section (e.g. wherein the length of the curved or radiussections is greater than the length of the straight section), or mayconsist of a continually curving section.

In exemplary embodiments, the divergent portions of the footprint areassociated with the handle end of the container and the curved end ofthe footprint is arranged opposite the handle of the container.

In exemplary embodiments, the opposing sides of the footprint aregenerally parallel with one another.

In exemplary embodiments, the opposing sides of the footprint aregenerally parallel with the part line of the container.

In exemplary embodiments, the pouring aperture is concentric with thecentral axis of the body.

In exemplary embodiments, the integral handle has a main handle portionwhich is generally upright when the container is in normal storage.

In exemplary embodiments, the integral handle defines a handle eye whichis taller than it is wide.

According to another aspect of the invention, there is provided a blowmoulded plastics container for storing liquid (e.g. milk) of the kindcomprising a body intended to be generally vertical during storage, apouring aperture through which the container is filled and emptied ofliquid, and a part line bisecting the body, wherein the body defines afootprint having a width which is greater in a middle region of thefootprint than at either longitudinal end thereof, and further whereinthe body of the container has opposing side surfaces extending in adirection at least generally aligned with the part line of the containerand forming part of the footprint, further wherein said footprint islonger than it is wide and said footprint is asymmetrical about atransverse axis extending in a direction perpendicular to said partline.

According to another aspect of the invention, there is provided a blowmoulded plastics container for storing liquid (e.g. milk) of the kindcomprising a body intended to be generally vertical during storage, apouring aperture through which the container is filled and emptied ofliquid, and a part line bisecting the body, wherein the body defines afootprint having a width which is greater in a middle region of thefootprint than at either longitudinal end thereof, and further whereinthe body of the container has opposing side surfaces extending in adirection at least generally aligned with the part line of the containerand forming part of the footprint, said footprint is longer than it iswide, said footprint is symmetrical about said part line and saidfootprint includes opposing longitudinal ends arranged along the partline of the container, one of said ends having divergent portions whichextend at an acute angle to the part line, and the other of said endsdefining a significant degree of curvature between the opposing sides ofthe footprint.

According to a further aspect of the invention, there is provided a blowmoulded plastics container for storing liquid (e.g. milk) of the kindhaving a body intended to be generally vertical during storage, apouring aperture, and an integral handle defining a handle eye, whereinthe handle eye is taller than it is wide and has an aperture axisextending in a first direction through the body; wherein the body has afootprint in plan view with a longitudinal axis extending in a seconddirection perpendicular to said first direction, the orientation of thelongitudinal axis corresponding to the orientation of the part line ofthe blow moulded container, said footprint having a centre point throughwhich said longitudinal axis extends and having a width which is greaterin a middle region of the footprint than at either longitudinal endthereof; and further wherein said footprint is generally octagonal,including first and second pairs of opposing sides, the first pairintersecting the longitudinal axis at a first radial extent and thesecond pair arranged orthogonal to said first pair and spaced from thelongitudinal axis at a second radial extent which is less than the firstradial extent.

The above aspect of the invention overcomes the problem of conventionalsquare or rectangular containers (e.g. as discussed above). In effect,the footprint is longer than it is wide, and the maximum radial extentof the footprint from the centre point is greatest along the part lineof the container, rather than away from the part line, as in the case ofthe rectangular container shown in FIG. 16 or a conventional ‘square’blow moulded container, e.g. of the kind shown in WO99/22994 (Uniloy).

The kind of configuration in accordance with the above aspect of theinvention has been found to exhibit less tendency for localised thinningof the wall thickness in critical areas if formed by blow moulding. Ithas been found that the stretching/thinning effect on the parison in amould configured to produce a milk container having a footprint inaccordance with this aspect of the invention is likely to be lessextreme than with conventional mould tools of the kind shown in FIG. 16,resulting in more even distribution of plastic within the wallthickness. Moreover, tests have shown that the overall weight of aplastics container may be reduced by adopting this footprint, whilstmaintaining storage capacity and the structural integrity necessary tomeet the 60N topload force test requirement.

Preferably, the length of the sides in the first pair is less than thediameter of the pouring aperture.

According to another aspect of the invention, there is provided a blowmoulded plastics container for storing liquid (e.g. milk) of the kindhaving a body with a part line, and wherein the body has a footprint inplan view which is generally octagonal, and includes first and secondpairs of opposing sides, the first pair intersecting the part line at afirst distance from the centre of the footprint and the second pairarranged orthogonal to said first pair, wherein each side in said secondpair is spaced from the part line by a second distance which is lessthan the first distance.

Preferably, the footprint is generally eight-sided. Preferably,container has a pouring aperture and the length of the sides in thefirst pair is less than the diameter of the pouring aperture.

In both this and the previous aspect of the invention, the length of thesides in said first pair is preferably less than the length of the sidesin said second pair (e.g. preferably at least 20% shorter, morepreferably in the region of 25-35% shorter), and/or the centre point ofthe foot print is concentric with the central axis of the body, and/orthe container has a pouring aperture which is concentric with thecentral axis of the body, and/or wherein at least one of the sides ofthe footprint is curved, and/or the container has an integral handlewith a main handle portion which is generally upright when the containeris in normal storage. In embodiments with an integral handle, the partline of the container bisects the integral handle.

In preferred embodiments, the container includes four sides arranged atan angle of inclination to the part line of the container (correspondingto a longitudinal axis of the foot print or the position of the splitline of a mould tool configured to form the container by blow moulding),wherein said four sides are of equal length, said length being greaterthan the length of each of the other four sides of the footprint.

In preferred embodiments, the container is a milk container, i.e. acontainer intended to be charged with milk at a first location and thendistributed and stored for retail at a second location (remote from sidefirst location).

According to a still further aspect of the invention, there is provideda blow moulded plastics container for storing liquid (e.g. milk) of thekind comprising a body with a central axis intended to be generallyvertical during storage, a pouring aperture, and an integral handledefining a handle eye, wherein the handle eye is taller than it is wideand has an aperture axis extending in a first direction through thebody; wherein the body has a footprint in plan view with a part lineextending in a second direction perpendicular to said first direction,said footprint having a centre point through which said part lineextends and a width which is greater in a middle region of the footprintthan at either longitudinal end thereof; further wherein said footprinthas four major sides arranged as two opposing pairs, wherein the sidesin the first pair are longer than the sides in the second pair and areat least generally parallel with the part line and at least generallyorthogonal to the sides in the second pair, with the part line bisectingthe sides in the second pair; and further wherein the footprint includesfour truncated corner regions between respective major sides of thefootprint, for reducing the stretch required to form the corner regionsof the footprint when a parison is blown within a mould tool cavityconfigured for blow moulding the container.

The above aspect of the invention overcomes the problem of conventionalrectangular containers (e.g. as discussed above), by providing afootprint with significantly truncated corner regions, as opposed to afootprint with right angled or rounded corners of the kind shown in FIG.16. In other words, by effectively removing the four corners of aconventional rectangular footprint, the container in accordance withthis aspect of the invention exhibits less tendency for localisedthinning of the wall thickness at the corner regions (if formed by blowmoulding), compared with containers having conventional rectangularfootprints, e.g. of the kind shown in FIG. 16.

It has been found that the stretching/thinning effect on the parison ina mould configured to produce a milk container having a footprint inaccordance with this aspect of the invention is likely to be lessextreme than with conventional mould tools of the kind shown in FIG. 16,resulting in a more even distribution of plastic within the wallthickness. Moreover, it is suggested that it may be possible to reducethe overall weight of a conventional milk container by adopting thisfootprint, whilst maintaining storage capacity and the structuralintegrity necessary to meet the 60N topload force test requirement.

Each truncated corner region is preferably defined by a minor side whichextends between the adjacent major sides of the footprint at an angle ofinclination to the part line of the container, such that the containerpreferably has eight sides. This is wholly distinct from a conventionalsquare or rectangular container having curved corners—such containershave only four sides, i.e. the curved transition between the four majorsides which forms the corner of the conventional four-sided containercannot be considered to be a ‘side’ or face of the footprint orcontainer.

Hence, the footprint may be defined by removing a generally triangularportion (including the apex) from the corner regions of what wouldotherwise be a conventional rectangular footprint, thereby resulting ina footprint with eight distinct sides.

In effect, the footprint is still generally rectangular for storagepurposes (i.e. so that the containers can be stored side by side in rowsand columns on a storage trolley, in an array which has the sameeffective area as conventional rectangular containers), and with thepart line ‘bisecting’ opposing parallel faces of the blown container.The result is an octagon which is symmetrical about the part line, butwhich is elongated along the direction of the part line; the sides ofthe footprint parallel with the part line are longer than the sidesorthogonal to the part line.

Preferably the footprint is symmetrical about the part line of thecontainer. More preferably, the footprint is also symmetrical about anaxis orthogonal to the part line of the container, since this hasadvantage in storage/transportation and filling line purposes. To thatextent, it is preferable for the minor sides to be of equal length.

In preferred embodiments, the length of the minor sides is shorter thanthe length of the shortest major sides of the footprint, but preferablyno less than about 65% of the length of the shortest major side and/orno less than about 50% of the length of the longest major side. Thelength of the minor sides may be generally the same or greater than thediameter of the pouring aperture.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Other aspects and features of the invention will be apparent from theclaims and the following description of preferred embodiments, made byway of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a schematic view from the side of a plastics container;

FIG. 2 is a schematic view from one end of the plastics container ofFIG. 1;

FIG. 3 shows the container of FIGS. 1 and 2 in plan view;

FIG. 4 is a schematic view from the side of another embodiment of aplastics container;

FIG. 5 is a schematic view from the front of the plastics container ofFIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a schematic view from the other side of the plastics containerof FIG. 4;

FIG. 7 is a schematic view from the rear of the plastics container ofFIG. 4;

FIG. 8 is a schematic plan view from above of the container of FIG. 4;

FIG. 9 is a schematic plan view from below the container of FIG. 4.

FIG. 10 is a schematic view from the side of another embodiment of aplastics container;

FIG. 11 is a schematic view from the front of the plastics container ofFIG. 10;

FIG. 12 is a schematic view from the other side of the plasticscontainer of FIG. 10;

FIG. 13 is a schematic view from the rear of the plastics container ofFIG. 10;

FIG. 14 is a schematic plan view from above of the container of FIG. 10;

FIG. 15 is a schematic plan view from below the container of FIG. 10;and

FIG. 16 is a schematic diagram showing a cross-section through a mouldtool for blow moulding a known plastics container of substantiallyrectangular footprint with a split line through opposing parallelsurfaces of the footprint.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Referring to FIGS. 1 to 3, a lightweight blow moulded plastics containeris indicated generally at 100. The container 100 has a body 102 and aneck 104. The body 102 defines an internal chamber for storing liquid(e.g. milk). The neck 104 extends from the body 102 and defines an openpassageway (indicated at 106 in FIG. 3) which communicates with theinternal chamber. The container 100 is filled with, and emptied of,liquid through the passageway 106. Hereinafter the passageway isreferred to as the pouring aperture 106. As is normal in the art, thepouring aperture 106 may by covered with a hermetic seal.

In this embodiment, the neck 104 is fitted with a conventional cap 132,which provides a replaceable closure for the internal chamber of thecontainer 100.

The container 100 is a milk container, i.e. a container intended to becharged with milk at a first location and then distributed and storedfor retail at a second location (remote from side first location). Thecontainer 100 is of the kind configured to stand on a planar surface,e.g. on a trolley or refrigerator shelf More particularly, the body 102,neck 104 and pouring aperture 106 have a common central axis, intendedto be generally vertical during storage of the container (i.e. with therim of the pouring aperture 106 presented generally horizontally). Assuch, the container 100 may be referred to as a “centre neck” container.Such a configuration is particularly advantageous in reducing foamingeffects during the filling of the container with liquid, e.g. milk.However, in other embodiments, the pouring aperture 106 may be offsetfrom the central axis of the body 102.

The body 102 is formed with an integral handle 108 which defines anaperture 110 (hereinafter referred to as the handle eye). The handle eye110 is taller than it is wide. In this embodiment, the handle 108 isintended to be generally vertical in use, e.g. parallel with the centralaxis of the body 102. However, in other embodiments, the handle may beangled relative to the central axis of the body 102.

As shown in FIG. 3, the container 100 has a part line 112, which bisectsthe body and is formed during the blow moulding process (e.g.corresponding to the location of the split line for the mould tool inwhich the container is formed).

The part line 112 bisects the integral handle 108. Furthermore, thehandle eye 110 defines with a through axis, shown at AA in FIG. 3, whichextends in direction perpendicular to the part line 112.

Below the handle eye 110, the body 102 has a cross-section with alongitudinal axis BB (shown in FIG. 3) extending in a direction alignedwith the part line 112. The longitudinal axis BB extends through acentre point X of the cross-section. Said cross section defines afootprint of the container 100 (e.g. as viewed in plan).

As can be seen in FIG. 3, the body 102 of the container 100 has opposingside surfaces 114, 116 aligned with the part line 112 of the container100. The side surfaces 114, 116 are parallel with one another and formopposing sides of the footprint. This parallel-sided configuration hasparticular advantage for use on automated filling lines. However, inother embodiments, the side surfaces may define a slight curvature orother non-linear configuration, whilst retaining at least a generalalignment with the part line 112 of the container 100 (and therebyadvantageous alignment on automated filling lines, e.g. relative toopposing guides between which the containers travel on said fillinglines).

The footprint has a width which is greater in the middle region than ateither longitudinal end, e.g. at the left or right as viewed in FIG. 3.Moreover, the footprint is longer (e.g. in terms of distance long thepart line 112) than it is wide (e.g. in terms of distance across thepart line 112).

In effect, the footprint defines a significantly truncated rectangle,wherein the maximum radial extent of the footprint from the centre pointis greatest along the part line 112 of the container 100, rather thanaway from the part line 112 (as in the case of conventional rectangularor square containers). This reduces the tendency for localised thinningof the wall thickness in critical areas during the blow mouldingprocess.

The footprint is symmetrical about the part line 112 but asymmetricalabout a transverse axis CC extending in a direction perpendicular tosaid part line 112. In this embodiment, the transverse axis CC bisectsthe pouring aperture 106 and passes through the centre point X of thefootprint.

The footprint includes opposing longitudinal ends 118, 120 arrangedalong the part line 112 of the container 100. One of said ends 118,opposite the handle 108 (to the left as viewed in FIG. 3) defines asubstantially curved end between the opposing sides 114, 116 of thefootprint. Said curved end consists of two radius sections 122 separatedby a straight section 124. The length of each radius section 122 isgreater than the length of the straight section 122. Hence, the curvedend provides a significant degree of curvature between the opposingsides of the footprint, and so is clearly distinguished from aconventional rectangular end with rounded corners. In other embodiments,the curved end may consist of a continually curving section. A roundedor substantially rounded front end of the footprint provides improvedresistance to bulging, than is the case with square or rectangularcontainers.

The opposite end 120, associated with the handle 108 (to the right asviewed in FIG. 3), defines a substantially angled end between theopposing sides 114, 116 of the footprint. The angled end 120 of thefootprint has divergent portions 126, 128 which extend in a direction atan acute angle to the part line 112 of the container 100. The point ofintersection between each divergent portion 126, 128 and the respectiveside 114, 116 of the footprint is aligned with the position of thehandle eye 110, when the container is viewed from the side (e.g. as canbe seen in FIG. 1).

The angled end 120 further includes a straight section 130 extendinggenerally perpendicular to the part line 112, and which separates thedivergent portions 126, 128. This avoids the use of a sharp corner atthe angled end, which might otherwise lead to deformation of theopposite end of another such container when the containers are beingmoved along a filling line. The straight section 130 is the same lengthas the straight section 124 on the opposite end of the container 100,and is diametrically opposite the straight section 124. Both sectionsare parallel with one another. However, in other embodiments, thesesections may define a slight curvature, but are nevertheless aligned atleast generally perpendicular to the part line, and define generallytransverse surfaces for abutment between adjacent containers on afilling line.

Although the footprint of the container 100 is still generallyrectangular for storage purposes, insofar as such containers can bestored side by side in rows and columns on a storage trolley in an arraywhich has generally the same effective area as conventional rectangularcontainers, the novel footprint is wholly distinct from a conventionalsquare or rectangular container. Such containers have a footprint whichdefines four major sides, i.e. with a first pair of sides arrangedorthogonally to a second pair of sides. This is clearly not equivalentto the footprint of FIG. 3.

The stretching or thinning effect on a parison blown in a mouldconfigured to produce a container having a footprint of the kind shownin FIG. 3 is likely to be less extreme than with conventional square orrectangular containers, e.g. of the kind shown in FIG. 16.

Referring now to FIGS. 4 to 9, there is shown a lightweight blow mouldedplastics milk container 140. As in the embodiment of FIGS. 1 to 3, thecontainer 140 has a body 142 which defines an internal chamber forstoring milk. A neck 144 extends from the body 142 and defines a pouringaperture 146 which communicates with the internal chamber. As is normalin the art, the passageway 146 may by covered with a hermetic seal.

The container is intended to be charged with milk at a first locationand then distributed and stored for retail at a second location (remotefrom side first location). The container 140 is of the kind configuredto stand on a planar surface, e.g. on a trolley or refrigerator shelf.More particularly, the body 142, neck 144 and pouring aperture 146 havea common central axis, intended to be generally vertical during storageof the container (i.e. with the rim of the pouring aperture 146presented generally horizontally). As such, the container 140 may bereferred to as a “centre neck” container. However, in other embodiments,the pouring aperture 146 may be offset from the central axis of the body142.

The body 142 is formed with an integral handle 148 which defines ahandle eye 150, which is taller than it is wide. As shown in FIG. 8, thehandle eye 150 defines with an aperture axis AA extending in a firstdirection through the body 142.

Below the handle eye 110, the body 142 has a cross-section with alongitudinal axis BB (shown also in FIG. 9) extending in a seconddirection which is perpendicular to said first direction. Thelongitudinal axis BB extends through the centre point of thecross-section. As will be discussed below, the orientation of thelongitudinal axis BB corresponds to the orientation of the part line ofthe blow moulded container 140, and bisects the integral handle 148.

The cross section defines the footprint of the container when viewedfrom above (in plan view). The length footprint is longer (along thepart line than it is wide (across the part line).

As can be seen best in FIG. 9, the footprint is generally octagonal,including first and second pairs of opposing sides 152, 154. The lengthof the two sides in said first pair 152 is less than the length of thetwo sides in said second pair 154. As can be seen, the sides 152, 154follow a slight curvature, although they may follow straight lines inother embodiments.

The configuration is such that the sides 152 in the first pair intersectthe longitudinal axis BB at a first distance (D) from the centre pointof the cross-section/footprint, and the sides 154 in the second pair(arranged orthogonal to first pair) are spaced from the longitudinalaxis BB at a second distance (d) which is less than the first distance(D). The maximum radial extent from the centre point of the sides 152 inthe first pair is greater than the maximum radial extent from the centrepoint of the sides in the second pair 154. Indeed, at any point alongthe sides 152 in the first pair, the distance from the centre point ofthe cross section/footprint is greater than the distance from the centrepoint at any point along the sides 154 in the second pair.

The length of the sides in said first pair is significantly less thanthe length of the sides in said second pair, preferably at least 20%shorter. In the illustrated embodiment, the sides in the first pair arein the region of 25-35% shorter than the sides in the second pair. Inthe illustrated embodiment, the length of the sides in the first pair isless than the diameter of the pouring aperture 146.

As can be seen, the container 140 includes a further four sides 156arranged at an angle of inclination to the part line of the container(corresponding to a longitudinal axis BB of the foot print or theposition of the split line of a mould tool configured to form thecontainer by blow moulding), and wherein said four sides are of equallength, said length being greater than the length of each of the otherfour sides 152, 154 of the footprint.

The maximum radial extent of the cross-section/footprint from the centrepoint is greatest along the part line of the container (corresponding tolongitudinal axis BB).

The radial extent at the other two corner regions is less than themaximum radial extent of the cross section/footprint.

This configuration has been found to be advantageous for a blow mouldedproduct, particularly with respect to reducing wall thinning effectsassociated with the blow moulding of conventional square or rectangularcontainers. This has enabled the production of containers which meet theconventional top load test requirements, but which have a reducedweight. This should enable the overall reduction of plastics consumptionin plastics milk container production.

Referring now to FIGS. 10 to 15, there is shown a further embodiment ofa lightweight blow moulded plastics milk container 160. As in theprevious embodiments, the container 160 has a body 162 which defines aninternal chamber for storing liquid (e.g. milk), and a neck 164 whichextends from the body 162 and defines an open passageway or pouringaperture 166 through which the container 160 is filled with, and emptiedof, liquid. The pouring aperture 166 may by covered with a hermeticseal.

The container is intended to be charged with milk at a first locationand then distributed and stored for retail at a second location (remotefrom side first location). The container 160 is of the kind configuredto stand on a planar surface, e.g. on a trolley or refrigerator shelf.More particularly, the body 162, neck 164 and pouring aperture 166 havea common central axis, intended to be generally vertical during storageof the container (i.e. with the rim of the pouring aperture 106presented generally horizontally). As such, the container 160 may bereferred to as a “centre neck” container. Such a configuration isparticularly advantageous in reducing foaming effects during the fillingof the container with liquid, e.g. milk. However, in other embodiments,the pouring aperture 166 may be offset from the central axis of the body162.

The body 162 is formed with an integral handle 168 which defines anaperture 170 (herein after referred to as the handle eye'), which istaller than it is wide. As shown in FIG. 14, the aperture 170 defineswith an aperture axis AA extending in a first direction through the body162.

Below the handle eye 170, the body 162 has a cross-section with alongitudinal axis BB (shown also in FIG. 15) extending in a seconddirection which is perpendicular to said first direction. Thelongitudinal axis BB extends through the centre point of thecross-section. The orientation of the longitudinal axis BB correspondsto the orientation of the part line of the blow moulded container 160,which bisects the integral handle 168.

The cross section defines the footprint of the container 160 when viewedfrom above (in plan view). As can be seen best in FIG. 15, the footprinthas four major sides 162, 164 arranged as two opposing pairs. The twoshortest major sides 162 are equal in length, said length being lessthan the length of each of the other two major sides 164 of thefootprint. The part line of the container 160 bisects the two shortestopposing sides of the footprint.

The footprint includes four minor sides 166 which extend between therespective major sides 162, 164 of the footprint at an angle ofinclination to the part line of the container 160.

The minor sides 166 have a length which is shorter than the length ofthe shortest major sides 162 of the footprint. In the most preferredembodiments, the corner regions of the footprint are significantlytruncated, e.g. wherein the length of the minor sides is preferably noless than about 65% of the length of the shortest major side 162 and/orpreferably no less than about 50% of the length of the longest majorside 164. This is believed to provide an effective contribution to thereduction in parison stretch away from the part line, whilst alsocontributing to structural integrity, particularly in preferredembodiments in which the minor sides 166 are equal in length and thefootprint is symmetrical about the part line.

In the illustrated embodiment the length of the minor sides 166 isgenerally the same as the diameter of the pouring aperture 166.

The effect is to ‘remove’ the right angled or curved corner regions (oneof which is indicated in dotted outline at 178 in FIGS. 14 and 15) ofwhat would otherwise be a conventional rectangular container, e.g. ofthe kind shown in FIG. 16). This may be achieved by effectively cuttingoff a triangular portion 180 of the rectangular corner region, includingthe apex of the corner.

Although the footprint is still generally rectangular for storagepurposes, insofar as such containers can be stored side by side in rowsand columns on a storage trolley in an array which has the sameeffective area as conventional rectangular containers, it is clear thatthe footprint has eight distinct sides. The result is an octagon whichis symmetrical about the part line, but which is elongated along thedirection of the part line; the sides of the footprint parallel with thepart line are longer than the sides orthogonal to the part line.

This is wholly distinct from a conventional square or rectangularcontainer having curved corners (e.g. as shown in FIG. 16). Suchcontainers have only four sides, i.e. the curved transition between thefour major sides which forms the corner of the conventional four-sidedcontainer cannot be considered to be a ‘side’ or face of the footprintor container.

The kind of configuration described with reference to FIGS. 10 to 15 hasbeen found to exhibit less tendency for localised thinning of the wallthickness in critical areas if formed by blow moulding than containershaving conventional rectangular footprints (e.g. as shown in FIG. 16).

The configuration of container described with reference to FIGS. 10 to15 should enable the production of containers which meet theconventional top load test requirements, but which have a reducedweight. Hence, this should enable an overall reduction in the plasticsconsumption of plastics milk container production.

While the invention has been described in connection with what ispresently considered to be the most practical and preferred embodiments,it is to be understood that the invention is not to be limited to thedisclosed embodiments, but on the contrary, is intended to cover variousmodifications and equivalent arrangements included within the spirit andscope of the appended claims.

1. A blow moulded plastics container for storing liquid and having abody intended to be generally vertical during storage, a pouringaperture that is concentric with a central axis of the body, and anintegral handle defining a handle eye, wherein the handle eye is tallerthan it is wide and has an aperture axis extending in a first directionthrough the body, wherein the body has a footprint in plan view with apart line extending in a second direction perpendicular to said firstdirection, said footprint having a centre point through which said partline extends; further wherein said footprint has four major sidesarranged as two opposing pairs, wherein the sides in the first pair arelonger than the sides in the second pair and are at least generallyparallel with the part line and at least generally orthogonal to thesides in the second pair, with the part line bisecting the sides in thesecond pair; and further wherein the footprint includes four truncatedcorner regions between adjacent major sides of the footprint, forreducing the stretch required to form the corner regions of thefootprint when a parison is blown within a mould tool cavity configuredfor blow moulding the container, the truncated corner regions definingsides or faces of the footprint each at an angle of inclination to thepart line, and wherein a length of said second pair of opposing sides ofsaid footprint is less than a diameter of the pouring aperture.
 2. Acontainer according to claim 1 wherein each truncated corner region isdefined by a minor side which extends between the adjacent major sidesof the footprint at the angle of inclination to the part line of thecontainer, such that the container has eight sides.
 3. A containeraccording to claim 2 wherein the length of the minor sides is less thanthe length of the shortest major sides of the footprint.
 4. A containeraccording to claim 3 wherein the length of the minor sides is no lessthan about 65% of the length of the shortest major side.
 5. A containeraccording to claim 4 wherein the length of the minor sides is generallythe same or greater than the diameter of the pouring aperture.
 6. Acontainer according to claim 3 wherein the length of the minor sides isno less than about 50% of the length of the longest major side.
 7. Acontainer according to claim 3 wherein the minor sides are of equallength.
 8. A container according to claim 3 wherein the footprint issymmetrical about the part line of the container and about an axisorthogonal to the part line of the container.
 9. A container accordingto claim 1 wherein the footprint is substantially rectangular forstorage purposes, for storage in side by side in rows and columns on astorage trolley, in an array which has the same effective area asconventional rectangular containers, but defines an octagon which issymmetrical about the part line, wherein said octagon is elongated alongthe direction of the part line.
 10. A container according to claim 1wherein the centre point of the foot print is concentric with thecentral axis of the body.
 11. A container according to claim 1 whereinthe integral handle has a main handle portion which is generally uprightwhen the container is in normal storage.